CLHS rider competes with Olympian Leipheimer in Enduro

Nathan Barnett (far left) of Clear Lake High School, Olympian Levi Leipheimer and Liz Maguire of Casa Grande High School teamed up to win the co-ed division in the Boggs Enduro last weekend at Boggs Demonstration Forest on Cobb Mountain. (Photo courtesy of Tami Cramer)

COBB -- Eight hours is a long time to ride a bike ... unless you happen to be on the same team as an Olympic medalist such as Levi Leipheimer.

Both Clear Lake High School's Nathan Barnett and Casa Grande High School's Liz Maguire had the opportunity to not only ride with Leipheimer, but they joined forces to win the co-ed division of Bike Monkey's Boggs Enduro on May 4 at Boggs Demonstration Forest on Cobb Mountain.

In its eighth year, the Boggs Enduro is a three-day affair. This year's event began with a hill climb on May 3, the eight-hour-long Enduro on May 4, and a downhill race on Sunday. The field includes both amateurs such as Barnett and Maguire, who compete in the NorCal Cycling League, and pros such as Leipheimer, a three-time Tour de California winner and a bronze medalist at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing.

The Enduro takes place on a 9-mile course that features a climb of 1,100 feet in elevation. The goal is to complete as many circuits of the course as possible within the eight-hour span.

Barnett, a sophomore at Clear Lake High School, and Maguire, a senior at Casa Grande High School in Petaluma, were invited to ride with Leipheimer at this year's Enduro. Barnett placed third overall in the JV division 2 category this season in the NorCal Cycling League.

"It's the highlight of my race career thus far to be teammates with both Levi and Liz, who is one of the best varsity girls in the NorCal League," Barnett said.

Vanessa Hauswald, Executive Director for the NorCal High School Cycling League and friend of Levi, said, "Levi told my husband Yuri, that he wanted to see if any local high school kids might want to ride with him at Boggs. We all talked and the first person who came to my mind was local boy Nathan Barnett. He is an incredible athlete and a smart and kind young man. Liz was the first local girl who came to mind as I used to be her coach and I respect her strength and persistence. I just hope they have fun and maybe learn something too."

"I am really excited to ride with Liz and Nathan at the Boggs 8 Hour Race," Leipheimer said prior to the race. "The three of us road together last week and I am not only impressed with how good they are on the mountain bike but they are so mature and polite. The NorCal High School League and NICA (National Interscholastic Cycling Association) have done an amazing job providing the opportunity for kids like Liz and Nathan to race their bikes. I am inspired to help out and give back to the sport. I hope to share a fun and competitive experience with the two of them this weekend while setting an example of hard work and giving your best."

The trio, dubbed 'High School Express,' won the co-ed division by completing one more lap than their closest competitors.

Leipheimer's first lap set a record time on the course (33 minutes, 43 seconds). The trio alternated riding around the course and completed 12 laps in a time of 8 hours, 35 minutes and 58 seconds. The runner-up team logged 11 laps in 8:34:18.

"It was such a privilege to ride with one of the best cyclists around; it was such an unreal experience. There was no pressure to win, so it made competing for eight hours a lot of fun," Barnett said.

Maguire concurred. "Levi was super nice and the whole event was fun and relaxed. He is such a good guy."

For more information on the Boggs Enduro, go to http://www.bikemonkey.net/events/boggs/

For more information about the NorCal Cycling League, visit www.norcalmtb.org

To find out more about the Clear Lake Mountain Bike Team, contact Tami or Jeff Cramer at 263-3344.